Tell Me a Tale
by Risako
Summary: Kairi is a minstrel, traveling from town to town to make a living. Sora's a prince, given the task of saving the world. Riku is a spy, under the guise of a prospective knight, ready to do anything to save his home kingdom. How will fate tie them together?
1. Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note: **Hello there! Yup, I'm starting another story! Just to warn you, I'm an irregular updater. That means I update when time permits, or when I have no homework! I'll be a better updater when summer break rolls around. Kya...Anyways, I will still update my other story. I just felt that I should give this one priority. Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy this story!

**Disclaimer:** I believe it's quite obvious that I don't own Kingdom Hearts or the characters therein. Probably all KH fans know that Square-Enix and Disney are the sole owners of this particular franchise. That all said, on with the fic!

* * *

**Tell Me a Tale**

Prologue: Once Upon a Time

_By Risako_

* * *

_Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light._

...Helen Keller

xXxXx

"_Okay! I'm ready! Can you tell me a story now?"_

"_Of course. What kind would you like to hear?"_

"_The one I hear you talking about with the grown-ups. The one about the prince with the key!"_

"_Oh. That one. Well, that's not really a story."_

"_Pleeease? I wanna hear it."_

"_Well, I'll try...Once upon a time, there was a handsome young prince who lived in a castle."_

"_Handsome, mom? How do you know that?"_

"_I don't. I'm making it up. Anyways, he was the prince of a great kingdom. However, there was a war going on. And he wanted to stop it."_

"_That is so cliché, mom."_

"_I suppose it is."_

"_Well, go on please."_

"_An evil infected the world. Not just any evil, but a kind of darkness. First the bloodshed of war, now this. So the prince had to go on a journey. A...handful of people joined him, and they set off to save the world. And...that's about all I know."_

"_What! That can't be the end!"_

"_It isn't. I just...don't know the rest."_

"_But-"_

"_Goodnight, hon."_

* * *

There was an odd feeling hanging in the castle. Maybe it was because the king was completely stressed out. Maybe it was because the prince was being awfully quiet. Or perhaps it was because the soldier that had delivered that 'urgent' letter looked half dead. Nonetheless, this feeling would forever change the world of a carefree, young boy.

"_Sora, if you're ever in trouble, just look up to the sky for help."_

That was what the last letter said. The queen had sent news of her travels. She had been making good progress, nearly reaching her destination.

"_The stars are up there, watching over you. So have faith in the sky."_

Last time the deliverer was happy and healthy. This time, he was so battered, it took all his strength just to reach the castle gate. Hopefully...maybe...he was just tired.

"_Have faith in destiny, Sora. The world lives upon faith." _

He didn't understand what his mom was talking about. He was only seven years old.

Finally, his steps came to a halt. The towering doors of his father's quarters loomed above him. So this was where his feet led him. He really wanted to go in, but then again, he was scared to. But he needed to find out what that new letter said.

After quietly tapping a few times on the door, but receiving no answer, he creaked it open just a notch. What he saw didn't seem out of the ordinary. The king was at his desk, hunching over a crinkled piece of paper.

The prince took a deep breath, then inched into the room. "Dad...Is that a letter from mom?"

The king did nothing. He didn't even lift his head to acknowledge his son's presence.

The boy's wild chestnut hair bobbed up and down as he walked over to the king. "You can tell me. I'm grown up enough." He was tempted to just snatch the letter away or just peek over his father's shoulder, but he promised his mom. He'd be a good boy until she returned. But the letter seemed to signal off a voice in his head. _If she returns...If...if..._

"I'm sorry, Sora..." came the hoarse voice of the king.

The prince blinked a few times. "Why? You didn't do anything wrong."

"This letter...was from the knight protecting your mother. He sent one of his men to deliver this letter."

Something got caught in the prince's throat. How annoying...Why couldn't he swallow? And he didn't feel too good anymore...Not that he felt good to begin with...

"According to the soldier, the knight was...killed soon after he handed him the letter."

"But---what about mom?" the prince managed to choke out. That's weird...The room was starting to look fuzzy...Maybe he wasn't hearing right.

"That's what this note was talking about. Remember--in the last letter?--she said she was really close. She said she was nearly there. Oh, I shouldn't have let her chase after such nonsense. Such, such nonsense. She really believed there was a Kingdom Hearts."

A sob escaped the king's lips. The prince raised his head to look into his father's face. He'd never seen his dad cry. Why was he crying? His mother was coming back, wasn't she? She promised...

The king placed a shaky hand on the prince's shoulder. "The knight...he wrote that he was terribly sorry. He said he had failed. He failed to protect the queen. I'm sorry, Sora. She isn't coming back."

The boy took a step back, shoving off his father's arm. He tried to avert his eyes to something, anything, besides his father.

"That can't be right. She promised." Finally, he locked eyes with the king, searching frantically for some sign of a joke. "Right dad? She promised. The knight was lying. Right?"

But the king didn't meet his gaze. He was staring at the ground with such a solemn look.

Sora couldn't take anymore. He dashed out of the room, ignoring his father's calls. Everything else was just a blur. How he got to the courtyard without being caught didn't even cross his mind. He didn't even know where he was going or even cared. Somehow, he found himself at the foot of one of the ugliest trees in the garden.

The prince's breathing became strained, bursting in short gasps. The queen was gone...His mother...Forever...All for a stupid dream to find a place that only existed in fairy tales.

xXxXx

"Boy! Get over here!"

The mentioned boy groaned as he slowly rose up. Why didn't he hide like his father told him to? Stupid. Maybe he was just a fool.

"I said get over here!"

_And I wish you'd just shut up._

"Boy!"

Riku sighed, trudging towards the guard. Even though he was foolish, the king was just plain idiotic to attack one of his own towns. Accusing them of treason was just an excuse to sell the people as slaves. He didn't think the king would be that desperate, selling his own people to neighboring kingdoms. But then again, if the king didn't sell any slaves, then the kingdom would have no money at all. The war had run their supplies dry, as well as their former wealth. Also, selling slaves provided minimal peace with at least a few countries. Nonetheless, Riku believed that was a new all-time low for the 'almighty, wonderful and merciful king'. So much for the respect he had for him.

"All of you, line up against the wall!" the slave master barked.

All the boys, even the one with silver hair, did as they were told. That was all they could do, what with all the soldiers carelessly waving daggers in their faces. The prospective buyers, meanwhile, swarmed through the gate, snatching up the strongest and healthiest boys before anyone else.

Riku kept his head lowered. What was the point? If someone bought him, he'd probably just run away later. Or maybe he could just sneak out now while everyone was busy with the other boys. Hopefully. Hope was really running dry nowadays.

A dark shadow hovered over him, causing him to jerk his head up. What he saw was the tallest man he had ever seen. It would be hard to ignore this man. He looked to be a fierce warrior who trained countless days. But that wasn't the odd thing about him. This man kind of like...himself.

"I'll take this one. I believe he'll make a good mercenary," he said, with what Riku believed to be a sneer on his face.

Wait a minute...Riku gulped. "Mercenary?"

xXxXx

Traveling on a well-worn dirt road was not that uncommon...unless you were a little seven-year-old girl traveling by yourself.

Kairi had, just a month before, left her burning village. Some would wonder why she still remained cheerful. But Kairi had her reasons. One, she was alive. If her brother hadn't saved her, she would be dead. Two, she had a promise to look forward to. Her mother, papa, and brother each promised to meet up in the nearest town. They would be separated, yes, but they would eventually meet up again.

But the next town was a long way to go. Plus, she wasn't even sure which town was the closest. Maybe, if she went through all of them, she'd eventually find somebody she knew.

But Kairi was just a little girl. She didn't want to be alone, or face the disappointment of finding nobody she knew in every town she crossed. She didn't ask to have her village destroyed, or her friends and family taken away. She didn't want it to show, but deep down inside, she strongly believed her life, which used to be so wonderful, turned out to be very awful. It was never fair. Life slapped her in the face at the worst possible moment. And yet...she still had faith that it would turn out better. She _had _to have faith, or else she would just give up. She wouldn't have the will to think of anything else except her misfortune. That was why she was setting off by herself. She'd find her own way, support herself with little or no help at all, and find her family. This way, there was always some hope.

However, walking from town to town was making her quite tired. She was too tired to even get the map from her backpack. Above, the sun shone with merciless rays. Sweat dripped non-stop down her forehead, forcing her to constantly wipe it and slow down.

"Shade would be good right about now," she muttered, attempting to block the sun with her small hand. Too bad all the trees in the area were burned down. War is such a fickle thing. It strikes when you least expect it. And, to a young girl like her, it seemed absolutely pointless.

Kairi sighed and let her arms flop to her sides. What was the point of blocking the sun? It would make her arms tired, which would probably mess up her journey even more.

She lifted her head, then allowed her feet to stop. Up ahead was a fork in the road. "Which one? Which one? Hmm..." she pondered out loud. She pulled off her hat, deciding that if it flopped upside-down, she'd go left. If it landed right-side-up, then right she'd go.

Perhaps this moment was her turning point. Maybe her success in life depended on which way she went. It all depended on if fate decided to be kind.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Welp, I suppose I'll leave you guys there. For once, I've put my homework aside. Maybe I should do that more often...Ah...Can't risk it. Anyways, I hope you'll stay with me for the next installment! Chappie 1, here I go! Hope to see you soon!

Risako


	2. A Minstrel, a Mercenary, and a Monarch

**Author's Note: **Opa and hello! Yesh, yesh. 'Nother chappie, complete and ready to read! (Finally, ne?) I apologize for the late update. It turned out longer than I'd expected, and I'm a lazy person. I'll try update on a more regular basis.

Anywho...I'd like to thank those who gave me reviews. Thank ya much! Perhaps I should start responding...Oh, and I hope everyone caught it in the prologue, but if you didn't, I'll tell ya. Sora and Kairi were seven, and Riku was eight. In this chapter, I'm going to jump ahead. So then, here we go!

**Disclaimer:** Oh, didn't you know? I _do_ own Kingdom Hearts! Ahahahahaha...Well, actually, I don't. I don't even own it in my dreams...If I did, Sora would be a stick man and the Keyblade would be a toothpick. That's about all I would be able to achieve in game development. Now, aren't you glad that I don't own it?...Oh yes, and I don't own Final Fantasy.

* * *

**Tell Me a Tale**

Chapter 1: A Minstrel, a Mercenary, and a Monarch

_By Risako_

* * *

_A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it._

...Jean de La Fontaine

xXxXx

"_Oh mo-oo-om!"_

"_Yes hon?"_

"_You didn't finish the story yesterday."_

"_I told you already. I don't remember the rest."_

"_I know, but maybe you could tell me what happened."_

"_Do I have to keep repeating myself? The prince went off to save everybody."_

"_No, I mean, maybe you could fill in what happened in-between. The details."_

"_Details?"_

"_Yeah, like the prince's name."_

"_His name?...I never found out. Like I said, that was all I knew. How can I tell you the details if I don't remember them myself?"_

"_Ah, but you don't _remember_ the details. That means they're in your head somewhere!"_

"_Don't be a smart-alec."_

"_...Mom, you won't even tell me one little thing? I'll think about it forever...The story my mom never wanted to tell me...I'll always wonder why my mom wanted to deprive me of knowledge..."_

"_Who's teaching you this? You're dad? I'm going to have to talk with him. And who says I'm depriving you?...Well, I suppose there are a few things I haven't told you."_

"_Like what? Tell me, tell meee!"_

"_Quit jumping on the bed. I'll tell you one thing. The prince had experienced a sad event when he was young, but after a few days, it was as if nothing had ever happened. The prince was acting happy and chipper. It was assumed that he was hiding his feelings. But his father believed it to be a good thing. So the prince grew into a seemingly responsible and carefree teen..."_

* * *

"Pardon me, Your Highness. You're needed in the throne room." 

"Mmm. That's nice."

"Er...Your...Highness?"

_Maybe I should've gone with dad...At least done _something

"Your Highness...sir..."

_I'm so tired of this. I shouldn't be here. Why didn't I go?_

"Your Highness!" Immediately, the prince was jolted out of his trance. He quickly turned his head to come face to face with one of the castle maidservants.

An embarrassed look flushed over her face. "I meant, er, Your...Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive my rudeness, but the noble representing the kingdom of Adrastos is waiting in the throne room."

Sora smiled and shook his head. "It's okay. I wasn't paying attention. I should be the one apologizing. You said that she was in the throne room, right?"

She curtly nodded, gesturing towards the east side of the castle. "I'm afraid she's getting kind of restless. Maybe you should meet up with her now."

"I guess so...I probably shouldn't keep our visitor waiting," he said, putting his hands behind his head and strolling down the hall.

She waited till the prince was out of earshot. "Whew. That was close," the maid said as she wiped her brow and took Sora's position at the window. When she peered down, one of the gardeners tending the flowers in the courtyard waved. She waved back, smirking all the while.

xXxXx

"Excuse me! Excu-ow! Would you please quit pushing!" Kairi was getting really tired of this. The people in this town weren't gentle at all. Nevertheless, she still managed to squirm through the crowd and into a partly vacant area.

Kairi had just been given the chance of a lifetime. A troubadour had referred her to meet up with his partner here, in Deirdre, even though she was only fifteen years old. He'd assured her that his friend could help her have a few big time performances. Maybe she'd finally earn some real money, not some person's measly change. And Deirdre was such a big place! Maybe after she met up with this theater guy, she'd go exploring a bit.

Kairi took a slip of rolled parchment out of her pouch. She straightened it out, walking slowly towards an alleyway. "This should be right," she whispered, reexamining the map that young man had given her. "Past the main fountain, behind Miriam's Flower Shop...Yes, this is it."

Looking up from her paper, she noticed the sign on the building she had ended up at. "Theater Manager and Local Performance Coordinator," she read aloud. "Alright then..." Taking a deep breath, she gathered up her courage and softly knocked on the door.

Maybe that was too soft. She tried rapping on it instead. That should get their attention.

Shuffling could be heard inside. Finally, the door opened to reveal a young woman of about the age of twenty. "Hello. Are you here to help organize our stock?"

Kairi fumbled through her pouch, but realized that the recommendation was written on the back of the map. Blushing a bit, she handed the paper sheepishly to the woman. "Um, no, actually, a musician-guy referred me to this place, and he gave me that paper there. I'm not really sure what to do, but I'd really like to see the manager of this place." How embarrassing...Here she was, finally getting her chance to break into the big league, and she was blubbering like a nervous amateur! _Oh wait..._, she thought. _I am a nervous a nervous amateur!_

The woman read the paper, then smiled as she reached the end. "So Zell referred you to us? Well then, if he sent you, then an appointment isn't needed. My name is Quistis Trepe. I'm sort of the secretary of this management. I believe Mr. Tribal is not occupied, so I'll take you to his office now. Let's just hope that he understands why I let you in."

Now that was easy. Kairi released the air she was holding in and stepped into the building.

The room she entered was quite fascinating. There were masks hanging on the walls, while various dresses and robes were littered here and there. Candles were given colorful glass covers, causing strange lights to shine through. Chests where bundled together in a corner, and had the most beautiful jewels adorning it. Too bad the overload of stuff made the room look like a pigsty too.

"I apologize for the mess. We've just got a shipment in today, so we had to organize the costumes. Mr. Tribal's office is this way." Quistis stepped over a small cauldron, obviously a prop for one of their plays.

Kairi followed her into a narrow hallway. They were only a few doors, but they caught her eye nonetheless. Each one was painted a vibrant color, all a different hue. But one door stood out. At the end of the hall, where they were headed, was a blue door. It was a plain blue, with no brightness to accompany it. Kairi glanced at the other doors. Okay...Why pick such a dull color for the manager's office?

"Miss?" Quistis had stopped a few feet away. Kairi shook her head and walked up to her. The secretary smiled. Kairi got the impression that she was the refined sort of woman, the kind you would see as responsible and intelligent and able to direct others efficiently. Huh. That was exactly the kind of woman that Kairi aspired to be.

"I'll be leaving you here," Quistis said, still keeping that polite air about her. "If all goes well, I'll be signing you up for your performance dates." She opened the door, went inside to have a quick word with the manager, then came back, sidestepping to let Kairi through. "Good luck," she whispered before shutting the door.

The girl scanned the room. She'd half expected to see piles of books and papers. She'd also envisioned a man in his late twenties or thirties to be the manager. _My, this place is full of surprises. _

The room wasn't a pigsty. No, no. Not at all. It was a garbage dump. Literally. There were items strewn practically everywhere. A whole load of scarves and veils where stuffed under the desk. Wooden swords, an even bigger amount of costumes, and, oddly, a bunch of glass figurines could be found. There was so much stuff here, she couldn't even identify them all. In the corner there seemed to be a green jar of something freakish-looking. (It looked like a hairy tomato, but she really didn't want that image in her mind every time she took a stroll in the market.) Everything else appeared to be pretty useless (including the hairy thing), like a broken chair and several worn-out dolls. Kairi didn't even know where to step.

"They're props, if you're wondering. And go ahead, it's okay if you squish my stuff. As long as you don't break anything."

Oh yes, the other surprising fact. The theater manager looked to be only a few years older than her. There he was, seated at a desk with a few trinkets scattered about. He was staring at her with a cocky grin plastered on his face. "The name's Zidane. So, whaddaya need?"

Kairi gulped. If she messed up, then back to the measly change she'd go. "Um, my name's Kairi, and a musician referred me here. I...wanted to see if I could get hired."

He focused his gaze to something else. One of those glass figurines, to be exact. "Ah, so you want to do official performances? Are you a vocal performer or an actress?"

"A vocal performer," she replied.

Zidane reached behind his chair and grabbed a large book. "Lemme see...Yeah, we have a few spots open. But I'm going to warn you now, these spots are hard to get. Our management is pretty big here in Deirdre. We're known for supporting the most talented of the lot. So remember, we don't accept mediocre singers. It won't be anything personal if you don't make it. Okay?"

Wow. He sure made her feel a lot better. She numbly nodded, her nervousness increasing ten-fold.

Zidane leapt up and strode to the door, whipping a jacket off a nearby hat rack. "Since I'm such a nice guy, I'll let you audition now."

Kairi choked for a moment. "N-now?"

"Yup." His smirk softened into a smile. "You really shouldn't work yourself up like that. It'll affect your performance."

Kairi blushed for the second time that day. Her nervousness showed that much?

They both exited the room, and were moving through the halls. The building was a lot bigger than what she assumed from looking at it from the outside.

"By the way...I just wanted to tell you that Zell gave you the instructions to the back door, the one that our main singers and actors always use. Newbies really aren't supposed to use it. But that's Zell's fault, so forget about it. Just use the front next time. Also...There was a big sign next to the door saying that we were closed for today. Just to let you know."

It was then that the minstrel's embarrassment skyrocketed.

xXxXx

Man, was this getting tiring.

Riku let his weary body flop loudly on his bed. He was too tired to check if his designated quarters was the same way he'd left it. But still, he forced himself to scan the room. Still the same dull drawer...The same dull shelf...And hopefully his bed was its same dull self. Riku was _not_ in the mood to find any part of his room pink again.

He sighed and rolled onto his back. He really should ask for a vacation. Maybe the boss would give him one.

"Well, well. Look who decided to actually use his room for once."

Riku groaned. He was barely there for five minutes, and this guy shows up.

"What the heck do you want, Axel?"

Axel took this as an invitation to stop standing in the hallway and enter. "I'm here to tell you that it's very stupid to leave your door open all the time. Something bad could happen to your room if you're too careless."

Riku pushed himself upright. "What did you do?" he asked sharply.

"Nothing this time. Count yourself lucky." Axel pulled a neatly folded paper out from under his jacket. "The boss has another mission for you."

"Another one? But I just got back." Riku crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. (He refused to lie down in front of Axel.)

"Aw, but that's because you're our best mercenary!"

Riku frowned at the word. "I only do this because it comes naturally. And because the boss promised me something when he brought me here. It's not like I enjoy being a mercenary."

"Too bad. You have the skills, but you don't have the attitude. You should try thinking more like--oh, look? Here he comes now." Axel strutted to the doorway, ignoring Riku's annoyed expression. A young man, a few years older than Riku and with dark brown hair, was passing by.

"Hey there, Vaughan! You're acting very suspiciously today! What're you doing, lurking around Riku's room?"

Vaughan, in reply, gave him a cold glare and said, "Shut up."

Axel rubbed his head as he watched him leave. "Still a cold-blooded jerk...But at least he has no problems with being a mercenary. By the way..." He turned to face Riku again, tossing him the paper. "The boss is very pleased with your last mission's success. Hey, don't look surprised. News travels fast. You should be proud! Putting a whole kingdom in an uproar. That's the reason why the boss thinks you would do especially well with this assignment."

Riku skimmed the note, his eyes moving fast to pick up all the important details. "So...He wants me to go to Deirdre."

Axel nodded, trying his best to hide his smirk.

"Deirdre. Of all the places to go, Deirdre."

"What? Is there something wrong with Deirdre?"

"Oh, nothing, except that I value my life."

Axel chuckled. He knew he would say that. "Don't act like a chicken. Just take one of the chocobos and pretend that you're a normal person. Anyway, you're ordered to start this mission immediately. So, I'll see you in the supply room." With that, he disappeared into the dark hallway.

The silver-haired boy shook his head, sighing as he put the letter in his pocket. At least this mission didn't entail killing someone. It was pretty risky, spying on the enemy's prince. But it was a lot better than some other things he'd had to do.

He stood up, stretched his arms for about a second, and left his rarely used room. He might as well forget about that vacation.

_Deirdre, here I come._

xXxXx

"Where the heck is Sora! Hey guard, yeah, I'm talking to you! I'm tired of waiting." The noble from Adrastos was getting quite fed up. She had important things to do, and waiting for a tardy shrimp wasn't one of them.

"I'm sorry, miss, but the prince arrives whenever he pleases," the guard answered. "And I understand that you're a guest, but you need to be respectful here. You must call the prince by his royal title."

In utter disgust, she threw her hands in the air, just about ready to kick the guard in the shins. "Who cares about a title!" she cried. "And when would 'whenever he pleases' be? Tomorrow? In a year? When I'm an old lady? If that's the case, then would you _please _inform him that I'll be forming alliances elsewhere."

"There's no need for that. How've you been, Yuffie?"

The young noble whipped around, glaring at Sora dead in the eyes. "It's about time! What took you so long?"

Sora shrugged, strolling into the gold-laden room. "I guess I forgot," was his reply.

"So, you forget something as important as this? You forget _me_? Well that's nice to know." Yuffie stomped up to Sora and poked him on the forehead. "Tell the chivalrous gentleman in there that it's impolite to tell ladies that you forgot them."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that," he said with his trademark grin, gently pushing her hand away. "So...Let's get started?"

Yuffie gave him a _dur-whaddaya-think? _look. Sora couldn't help but grin again. "Maybe we should move to the meeting room. My dad doesn't like it when we talk in the throne room."

"But this is official kingdom-to-kingdom matters we have to discuss! Isn't it important enough to be discussed in the throne room?" The guard chuckled. Yuffie opted to shoot a malevolent glare his way. "Besides, he's not here! He'll never notice that we used this room. Or that I sat on his cushy chair over there..."

"Trust me, he'll notice. Especially if you sit on his throne." Sora shoved his hands into his pockets and began to make his way to the much smaller meeting room, leaving Yuffie to stare at the "cushy chair" like a kid who was denied Christmas.

"C'mon, Yuffie. I'm really tired today. Let's get this over with."

She tore her gaze away and hurried after the prince. "Wait up! If you're so tired, why are you walking so fast?"

Sora shrugged, training his eyes on his feet. Left, right, left, right...Would he...Would he have to go to war like his father too? Controlling marching soldiers...Having a whole army depend on you...Destroying all towns harboring the enemy...And what for? And why didn't he do what his father suggested--help him command Deirdre's soldiers? Maybe he was just a coward...

"Man, Sora...You should tell your dad to get rid of these tapestries when he gets back." The young noble flicked at one of the crimson and gold tassels of a particularly dusty one as she passed by. Yuffie tried to ignore the grotesque stitching woven into a tapestry up ahead, but it was hard to ignore a big monster, the great Bahamut, tearing a sea serpent to shreds.

"Ugh. They're so old and bulky and gross. Whoever made these had a sick mind. Hey. Earth to Mr. Princey-poo."

"Don't call me that."

"Just checking if you're still in there."

"Well, my mind's on other things. Here's the room." Sora pulled the door open and, like the prince he was, allowed Yuffie to enter first before following in himself.

The meeting room wasn't as glamorous as the throne room, but it still had a few decorations of it's own. Plenty of tapestries, which were quite similar to those in the halls, hung on three sides of the room. The last wall was covered up with a large shelf full of books. The books were supposed to stay in the library, but the king had them moved to the meeting room years ago, for those books were the queen's favorite, and she'd always be holed up in there, stuck in boring discussions with advisors while sneaking peeks at a book on her lap. (The throne room was much too grand for her to use everyday, so she preferred using this smaller space until her husband gave her that study like he promised.)

Yuffie plopped herself on the oak table. Sora was about to follow suit, but decided to just sit on a chair.

"Alright...So, what exactly happened in Adrastos? I've heard a few rumors, but I still have no clue what's going on. "

Yuffie swung one boot up and examined its sheen, yet she still couldn't hide the serious look fighting to get on her face. "Our king...Charles Edward...is gone. And he didn't just waltz out of our kingdom. He was seized and taken somewhere. The thing is...we don't know whether he's still alive or not."

Sora nodded. Her words confirmed that most of the rumors he heard were truthful, but he could tell that Yuffie had more to say. Much more.

"A few days before, our king deployed most of our forces to the eastern mountains, to drive the monsters to the Great Desert. You heard about the mega increase of monsters in our area, right?"

The prince nodded again.

"Well, we're not sure, but we think that a horde of _something_ attacked them. It could be Mauva or the monsters...Whatever it was, all the soldiers sent to the mountains are missing. All of them. So now we don't have a king or most of our army."

And Sora thought his kingdom had it bad. "Wait...So who's ruling now?"

"The king's one and only advisor. You know her," Yuffie answered, sliding off the table and making her way to the bookshelf.

"Lady Aerith...," he mumbled.

Yuffie scanned over the books until her eyes widened at one of them. "Yeah. By the way, she wanted me to tell you something. She said, to 'please tell the prince of our dire situation and our vulnerable status.'" Her hand managed to pull the said book out of it's tight spot. "In simpler words, we're begging ya for help. One hundred soldiers can't protect a whole kingdom. Mauva's army is plowing through all the towns in cities to get to you and--whoop-dee-doo!--guess which kingdom is between Mauva and Deirdre?"

"Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault all the kingdoms are built that way." Sora tipped his chair back and folded his arms. "But you're right, though. Adrastos wouldn't be able to stand up to a Mauvan attack...Well, that settles it!" His chair clunked back down as he slapped his hands on his thighs.

Yuffie gave him a dubious look. "Settles what? And why are you so happy all of a sudden?"

"Well..." Sora scratched the back of his head, unconsciously messing up his already messed up hair. "You should know me by now. Of course I'd make an alliance with your kingdom. I mean, c'mon, you'd kick my butt if I didn't. And it'd be heartless of me to turn you down and refuse to help you. So...yeah. And I don't know what you mean about being happy. I'm acting like I normally do."

Yuffie muttered a "No you're not," to herself before planting herself on the table again, still holding the book. "It's not settled yet. We have to declare the alliance on paper, according to your dad's laws. If not, then it is com-ple-te-ly void. Maybe you should go get one of your bonehead guards to fetch us some paper."

"Alright..." Sora got up, his shoulders a bit sore for some reason. He took one last tired glance at Yuffie, just in case she wanted to say something else. But her nose was already buried in that book of hers. Odd...Sora never remembered Yuffie to be the reading type.

He turned around, but, as he'd expected, Yuffie had something to say. "By the way, Sora...I was just wondering. Why is this book in this dusty old room? It used to be your favorite."

Sora lingered by the door. "What're you talking about?"

"You don't remember? You used to always recite the whole story. _Kingdom Hearts_? Don't tell me you forgot about that too. First me, now-"

"That book should be burned. It's just a stupid fairy tale that gives people the wrong idea. And it makes them throw away their lives for something that doesn't exist."

The young noble gaped as the prince of Deirdre briskly left the room.

* * *

Okay! Here I go! My response to your reviews! 

**thesrazrbladekisses- **There ya go! Updated! I'll try to be sooner with the next chapter.

**Xarli**- I'm glad you do!

**Zarya**- Pwah ha...Of course I don't care! And plus, you took the time to make a long review. Thanks! Now...Kings? Most of the kings I know of were either really great or complete psychopaths. So, no. Maybe a few of them. Oh, and the person that bought Riku was nowhere near fat. Maybe my clue was too confusing. Oh well. And Kairi...I went back and edited a few parts, including Kairi's scene. I hope it's enough. If not, just tell me! I'll be happy to re-edit it. Also...Maybe it sounds odd because this could be considered _my_ early work. I'll suck for a time, and hopefully, with practice, I'll grow to be better. Again, thanks for your uber-awesome review! (Ah...I really did make them wait, didn't I?)

**Onii-Gil**- Hello, Riku fan! Riku sure is lovable, ain't he? At least you have a favorite. I can't pick between Riku and Sora. Hmm...Think so? Thanks! I'll definitely keep writing since it's a hobby I love.

**Angry Neko-San**- Welp, here ya go! And good luck writing your second chapter! Or whatever chapter you're on...

**kingdom219**- 'Kay, I will!

**BLACKSHEEP**- A mercenary is a professional soldier who serves a foreign kingdom or country(or even a person) for pay. In Riku's case, he has to do the dirty work for whoever hires him. But the thing is, he...Well, you'll see. If you want an example, look at Cloud from FF7. Anywho, I'm glad you like it! Thanks a bunch.

**Zanisha**- I love long reviews. They are the most helpful of all. Thank you for all your advice. I'll be sure to use it! It'll help me become a better writer! Oh, and by the way...I didn't really want anyone to feel sorry for Kairi, since her view on life is more upbeat than the other two. That's how I wanted to portray her situation. But yes, I reread her part, and decided that I should give more details as to what happened to her and her family. I felt it best not to get _too _detailed though (for reasons unknown ). As for the curse words...Well, I'm the kind of person that feels guilty for even thinking them, so you can mentally add them if you want. Anyways, thank you so much for all the tips and comments! And thank ya much for reading my story. (Don't forget about your stories! Or your website!)

**Every Heart Bleeds**- Heh, he probably would! And don't worry, I'm doing my homework...Blast the person who invented it. But anyways, all I have to do is finish it earlier so I can have more time to write! Thank ya much!

**Author's Note:** Welp, there's chappie one for ya! I know, not much is happening yet, but that's because this is sort of a look at what our charas are like now. The next chapter is where the real fun begins! Kya ha...I hope you guys don't mind that I've added s'more FF cameos. Anywho, please stay with me for chappie two!

Hope to see you soon! This is Risako, signing off. Later! Pwah ha.


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